WWTBAM Bored

Because GW wants to kick SIL's skinny butt.

BD is sick from working with the germy little kids. This has happened within the first couple of weeks of each school year, and so happened soon after she started work out there. Because of the combined stresses in her life, though, this one is worse than usual. She probably has full-blown bronchitis. She has no sick time, though, and doesn't want to take the day off to see the doctor and get medication.

SIL, OTOH, has a four-day weekend. He slept in yesterday, and presumably did so again today. He also took the car yesterday, so that BD had to walk home from work. He was gone when she got back, so she had to prepare her own meal and generally take care of herself.

GW wants to kick him and get him to take better care of her daughter and get BD to the doctor RIGHT NOW! Also to prepare some homemade chicken soup, or at least have some dinner ready for her when she gets back from work. GW claims he told her that he could cook. I explained that a guy's idea of his own cooking ability is generally not the same as a woman's idea of hers.

I told her to put down the cellphone and back away slowly. I told her that I was not buying her a cross-country plane ticket solely for the purpose of kicking SIL's skinny butt. I told her that it's BD's job to do the kicking (and screaming and pot-throwing and whatevering) about making dinner when he has time off and she doesn't, and taking care of her, and all that. I told her that she didn't want to be one of "those" mothers-in-law. I don't know how much all this told-ing helped GW's state of mind. Letting go has been hard for her.

You might point out to her that she's been a bit spoiled, perhaps. (at least, that's my take from reading your posts). Good for you for pointing out it's not GW's job to tell SiL what he should be doing. The mother of three sons in me wants to point out that BD should prolly be voicing her complaints to her husband instead of her mom. Boys tend to respond better to direct instructions. That said, I hope your daughter is feeling better soon. I recommend Airborne in large doses.


t.

GW would be smart to tell BD to complain to her husband and not to her mom.

I recommend a walk in clinic, they are typically open until 8 pm or at least after business hours. I'd think as a teacher she has some flexibility and could seek medical attention.

I also agree that BD should talk to SIL. I can't remember if they lived together before they were married? Perhaps he doesn't know that she wants to be coddled when she's sick. When I'm sick I want to be left alone. I am typically capable of taking care of myself. I can heat up soup as good as the next girl, and I do that. Maybe that's how he is too and he thinks he's doing her a favor. So I think if they had a conversation they could clear this up and prevent it from happening again.

tlynn78 wrote:You might point out to her that she's been a bit spoiled, perhaps. (at least, that's my take from reading your posts). Good for you for pointing out it's not GW's job to tell SiL what he should be doing. The mother of three sons in me wants to point out that BD should prolly be voicing her complaints to her husband instead of her mom. Boys tend to respond better to direct instructions. That said, I hope your daughter is feeling better soon. I recommend Airborne in large doses.

t.

If by "she", you mean GW, she knows it. If you mean BD, she's realizing it. Meeting her current batch of pre-schoolers and their parents has been her first real exposure to a large group of people from very significantly different backgrounds than herself. It has been an eye-opener.

To answer both you and Pea, the call from BD was made soon after she returned home yesterday and before SIL returned from his trip into town. She hadn't had the opportunity to "voice her complaints" (nice term) to him yet. It was also just a part of the conversation and not the main reason for it. The three-hour time difference makes that about the only time she can call us when we're still awake and coherent. We're old.

BD knows about Airborne. I don't know if she was using it prophylactically, or even if she has any. We also believe in Emergen-C, at least after the fact.

Emergen-C is good, too, as you said, after the fact. I've had really good luck with Airborne, prophylactically. By 'she' I meant GW - you spoil her quite nicely.


t.